Suryakumar Yadav has acknowledged that his ODI statistics have been subpar for some time, despite his continued dominance on the T20 circuit. Suryakumar has recently struggled to replace the vacuum left by players such as Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the 50-over format, despite being ranked No. 1 in T20Is by the ICC.
Suryakumar scored just 78 runs in the recently concluded three-match series in the West Indies, and his ODI batting average in 2023 is 14.11. Suryakumar rediscovered his scoring touch in the third T20I against the West Indies and remarked, “We’ve played so much Twenty20 cricket that we’ve become accustomed to it.” “We no longer play as much one-day cricket. This is one of the most difficult configurations for me because different cogs are required. If too many wickets fall early on, you must adopt a strategy similar to test cricket. Then, you employ run-a-ball and then the T20 strategy.
“Right now, I’m trying to apply what the team management has told me about ODI cricket. I’m trying to take my time and do what the team requires of me. I’ll try to keep the faith that the team has shown in me. In T20 cricket, we know what to do because we play so much of it. You just need to go and express your game.”
Initially requested to bat at No.4, the team management is now attempting to give the unconventional batter opportunities to bat at No.6 in a finishing role to ensure he encounters fewer deliveries, similar to a T20 situation. “If I’m being completely honest, I recognize that my numbers in one-day cricket are quite poor,” he said. “It is without guilt to acknowledge that. You must be honest, but it is even more essential how you work on and enhance your honesty.
“Rohit and Rahul bhai have told me – this is not a format that you play a lot, you need to practice a bit on what can be done for the team. We want you to play 45 to 50 balls. That’s the sign from the team management, now that’s on me how I want to play my game if I’m batting in the last 15-18 overs. Now, that’s in my hand how to make use of this opportunity. I need to bat as per the team requirement.”
Suryakumar confessed that he didn’t do anything to get back among the runs, and he also praised rising star Tilak Varma, who notched an unbeaten 49 in the chase. Suryakumar’s 44-ball 83 helped India regain the lead in the five-match T20I series on Tuesday (August 8). Suryakumar stated of Tilak, “I believe he has a very clear mind.” “Most significantly, he understands his game extremely well, what he wants to do when he steps up to the plate, and he was very clear today as well. Mentally, he’s very powerful, and that’s the most essential quality for an Indian player at this level.”
Suryakumar praised the hosts and disclosed that the visitors were resolved to win on Tuesday, despite the fact that few predicted India would fall behind West Indies 2-0 so early in the series. “We never start out a series thinking that we will lose,” he said. “Standings don’t really matter. The team that plays better on the day is all that matters. And we all know how well West Indies play the T20s. They are one of the most dangerous T20 teams. All we wanted to do today was take responsibility, show our character and win the game for India. That’s what we thought when we came out to play – not just the 11 of us, but all 15 – that we need to win today’s game somehow. That’s what we did today, it was fun.”
